People, Jan. 21-27

Katelyn Marie Hall of Leesburg, daughter of Sheriffâ€™s Office Investigator Michael Hall and wife Ashley, will be the 2009 National Ambassador for the March of Dimes. Katelyn, 5, was born at 25 weeks, weighing less than one pound and was given only a 5 percent chance of survival. She was treated for chronic lung disease, battled many infections, underwent heart surgery and suffered from bleeding in the brain. The March of Dimes says she was chosen as 2009 National Ambassador because she exemplifies the long-term problems faced by many children who survive an extremely early birth. To follow Katelyn on her journey across the country and to find out how to get involved, visit marchofdimes.com/Katelynsjourney. Pictured Ashley, Katelyn and Michael Hall.

Send announcements or events, which are open to the public at no or minimal cost, to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102 or e-mail &lt;a href="mailto:loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com"&gt;loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com&lt;/a&gt;. Deadline is Friday, two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged.

Del. David Poisson (D-32) has appointed Ibrahim Moiz to be his legislative assistant in the upcoming General Assembly session, which convenes Jan. 14. Moiz served last year as law clerk to Maryland District Court Judge Thomas Love and more recently in the Fairfax law firm of Garbia, MacGregor & Plocki. He also previously served as director of civil rights for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Chris Kingery of the Loudoun County Office of Transportation Services has received the "Unsung Hero" award from the Chesapeake Chapter of the Association for Commuter Transportation, which includes Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. Kingery was nominated for her outstanding customer service skills in dealing with the growing ridership of LC Transit, the countyâ€™s commuter bus program.

Coed Venturing Crew 761, chartered by the Rotary Club of Sterling, recently held its eighth annual Court of Honor where one Outdoor Bronze, three Gold, four Ranger and nine Silver awards were presented to local Venturers. In addition, five BSA Scuba and Snorkeling, and two Recruiter special awards were presented to Venturers and Advisors.

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors appointed Joseph G. Paciulli to serve on the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission as member emeritus for 2009. The commission serves as a forum through which business and government leaders meet to exchange ideas. It is organized with 27 voting members, featuring representatives from key economic development businesses and organizations from diverse industries.

Army Reserve Spec. Anthony P. Brown of Potomac Falls has graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga. During the nine weeks of training, the soldier received training in drill and ceremonies, weapons, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid, and Army history, core values and traditions. Brown is the son of Norman Brown of Silo Mill Court, Sterling.